Here I write on Tuesday evening and am in my bare feet with no wood stove going. I think it was into the 70s with an absolutely beautiful sky. I had to go home at 10 a.m. to remove my long underwear. Hurrah!

In my travel this week, I enjoyed seeing the Star Magnolias in bloom. The Latin name is Magnolia stellata — like all plant proper names is only capitalized for the first actual plant. Then the variety is lower case. I’m just refreshing the reader’s memory of high school Latin. It was a required course in my high school — I’m sure that has changed.

One would think at my age and decades of vegetable gardening experience, I would learn a few basics, but no. I put my onions and lettuce out knowing full well a freeze was expected. I thought they would be fine, since the greenhouse has no heat and they froze a few times in there. I hate it when I’m wrong and cannot blame someone else. Sigh!

I stopped at Donaroma’s to purchased a few full-sized guara plants. I found several eaten by deer right off the display table. We’re talking downtown Edgartown. They are nothing if not bold. Plus, who knew they liked gaura? Since Tuesday was warm and starting to get dry, I tackled my least favorite garden task: the hauling out the hoses. How is it that no matter how carefully a person puts them away in the fall, they end up a tangled mess?

My garden is awash in Early Snow Glories (Chionodoxa forbesii). I only planted a small package of bulbs one fall years ago. They spread like crazy. Check out the bank on your right when sitting at the drive-thru of Martha’s Vineyard Bank. At the same bloom time are Scilla and also a pleasing dark blue in color. Since all the spring bulbs are short-lived, hopefully you spend some time enjoying them. I often think I’m going to plant more in a certain area, but by fall I’ve forgotten. Good thing nature, in her infinite wisdom, has them come up here and there anyway. I read a story about a dying woman who planted tons of bulbs for those who came after her to enjoy. Indulge me to repeat my favorite quote. “The true meaning of life is to plant a tree under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”

It’s remarkable how quickly the lawns and roadsides have greened-up. Wasn’t it just a week or so ago when it was still brown and/or gray? The field at Nip ‘n’ Tuck Farm is particularly lush. I imagine all those years of cows and horses worked their magic with free fertilizer.

What a week in Trump world. First, he picked an unwinnable fight with the Pope, of all people. We’re talking about the spiritual head of over a billion people worldwide and probably 30 million here at home. His political instincts have gone south. Then, we have JD Vance, Jared Kushner and Steve Witcoff trying to negotiate a deal with Iran. Too bad we didn’t keep Obama’s, which actually was working. Oh, and wasn’t the Strait of Hormuz open before the war of choice.